How many seconds will pass before somebody builds The Homer?

The existence of the not-so-secret LEGO 2K Drive was made official yesterday when LEGO and 2K Games dropped the first trailer for the upcoming racer. Set in the expansive world of Blocklandia, players will step in the racing shoes of a rookie driver as they complete quests, play minigames? and take on challengers in ridiculous races. As yo?u can see in the trailer below, split-screen and multiplayer are included in the package.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=A51anXqYIHA

I love the ?idea o??f being able to build my own LEGO car and take it into races, but I do wonder exactly how much freedom I'll actually have in the final product.

If you caught it in the trailer, you'll see that the neat Hamburghini is only available in one of the costlier editions of the game. That has me wondering just how much LEGO 2K Drive will limit the freedom to create the vehicles I want to create. That's part of the joy of LEGO, being able to make anything you set your mind to, and it would be a real shame if I wasn't actually able to "build my dream ride" because I didn't buy an expensive enough version of the game. According to a preview of the game over on Polygon, there will be "...over 1,000 pieces to toy around with," so maybe I'll be able to mak?e my o??wn burger mobile with a little time and effort.

I guess I'll find out when LEGO 2K Drive releases on May 19, 2023, for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. The game will launch with three different editions. The standard edition goes for $69.99 for PS5 or Xbox Series X|S and is $59.99 on Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Please note the Switch physical version does not include a game card. The Awesome Edition retails for $99.99 and includes the first four seasons of DLC, 550 coins, and several items not available in the standard edition, including the Awesome Pizza Vehicle. For $119.99, you can get the Awesome Rivals Edition, which includes everything in the A??wesome Edition plus the Awesome Rivals Bonus Pack.

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Strike a pose, there's nothing to it

If you've read any of my writing over the last eight-ish years I've worked here, you probably know I have a deep affinity for the Style Savvy series. The boutique management sim has had me wrapped around its finger since the original game debuted on the Nintendo DS. The game looked rough on the hardware, and the real-time clock didn't do it any favors, but it was fabulous nonetheless. The series really hits its stride when it jumped to the 3DS. Both Style Savvy: Trendsetters and Style Savvy: Styling Star ranked among the very best experiences I had on the console. I've been wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin' the series would show up on Switch, and while there have been a few fashion games over the life of the console, nothing has really grabbed me the way Style Savvy did. Fashion Dreamer may break that trend.

As revealed in yesterday's Nintendo Direct, Fashion Dreamer is an upcoming style simulator that puts an emphasis on user creations. Players will create their avatar known as a Muse and work to build their brand as fashion influencers. T?he game will feature more than 1400 items players will be able to customize to try and dazzle the other Muses of an online world known as Eve. Admittedly, that doesn't have the same immediate appeal as running my own little boutique, but I'd wager the idea of trying to make it as a style influencer is far more relevant ?to today's Instagram-driven industry.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wYOXEX_Hgw

The real appeal of this fashion game versus all the others is the fact syn Sophia is handling development duties. That is the same developer that helped bring Style Savvy to life (as well as an excellent selection of wrestling games back in the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 era). Having syn Sophia on board is all I need to know to keep an eye out for this one. But, considering the last Style Savvy game has more than 20,000 fashion items to collect, I can only hope the options for customizing? fashion really allow me to make my brand look and feel unique from all the other styles I'll see around Eve.

Fashion Dreamer will launch later t??his year exclusively for Nin??tendo Switch.

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Why bother holding onto old games when they're just gonna remaster 'em?

It's been more than four and a half years since Altus dropped a short trailer that seemed to indicate the Etrian Odyssey series would live on in a post-two-screen gaming world. One of the most celebrated creations of the Nintendo DS and 3DS eras, it's been all quiet on the western from Atlus on the status of this series since that trailer dropped. During yesterday's Nintendo Direct, the developer made it loud and clear it hadn't forgotten about its niche dungeon crawler with the reveal of Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection.

The Origins Collection combines the first three games in the series�em>Etrian Odyssey, Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard, and Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City—into one complete package that features new character artwork and, in a first for the series, HD graphics. Of all the franchises to debut on the Nintendo DS and 3DS, I don't there was one that was more dependent on the two-screen setup of those systems than the Etrian games. The whole point of the game was to make it like you were playing an old pen-and-paper RPG. Clearly, that's part of the soul of the series, and I can't imagin?e it's all that easy to repli??cate on a single screen.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaMv86lLRgY

But Atlus is giving it the ol' college try with these HD ports. Judging by the video and screenshots, the map-making features of these games will take up roughly half the screen when you do it manually. If you'd rather just focus on exploring the dungeons, the games in the collection will feature auto-mapping, which I am not ashamed to admit I utilized throughout all of Etrian Odyssey V.

Okay, so it's not the follow-up to Etrian Odyssey Nexus like I was hoping for, but after a four-year absence, I'll take whatever Atlus is dishing out. Plus, Etrian Odyssey III is arguably the b??est game in the series, so I'm really looking forward to revisiting that world again with my sovereign guiding the way.

Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection will launch on June 1 for Nintendo Switch. You can buy all three titles together digitally for $79.99 or get them individually for $39.99.

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What happened, Miss Williams?

It's a good time to be a fan of fighting games and a good day for those who love their sexy silent assassins. Nina Willaims, star of Death by Degrees and also a Tekken mainstay, got her first solo trailer for the upcoming release of Tekken 8. Nina, sister of fellow fighter Anna Williams, sports an unforgettable look this time around, and I honestly can't take my eyes off of her. The last Tekken game that I played was Tekken Tag Tournament 2 for the Wii U and she was definitely one of my most played characters. Given her history with the series, I don't think there was ever a danger of Nina not appearing in Tekken 8, but I'm glad I didn't have to wait too long to get he??r confirmed??.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3sAt0JbqNs

The reveal of Nina Williams for Tekken 8 follows previous trailers for the upcoming fighter that have confirmed other returning favorites. Other fighters set to appear in this highly ant??i??cipated sequel include:

• Marshall Law
• Paul Phoenix
• King
• Lars Alexandersson
• Jin Kazama
• Devil Jin
• Jun Kazama
• Kazuya Mishima
• Jack-8

Nina's trailer was just one of a few notable pieces of Tekken news today. To ready players for Tekken 8, Executive Director Katsuhiro Harada and Director Kohei Ikeda presented an in-depth look at some of the new systems that'll be introduced in the game, including the new Rage System and a detailed look at the Heat System that was previously announced. The video, posted below, also confirms Tekken 8 will include an optional simplified control scheme that combines the Easy Combo and Assist features from Tekken 7. Bandai Namco also confirmed the Tekken World Tour 2023 would return this year with Tekken 7 and the entire tournament would be fully off??line.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v47u-_LZOE

Tekken 8 is still without a set release?? date, but when the game does arrive, you'll be able to p??ick it up for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S.

The post Nina Williams comes guns ablazin’ into Tekken 8 appeared first on Destructoid.

Fight monsters, make friends

Loop8: Summer of Gods is a game I have been looking forward to since I first caught wind of it nearly a year ago. From Xseed Games, Marvelous, and developer SIEG Games, Loop8 follows the exploits of protagonist Nini as he navigates life, friendship, and a demon invasion in 1980s Japan. The game takes place over the month of August in the quaint co?untry town of Ashihara. The town is one of the last sanctuaries on Earth from the demon invasion and Nini, blessed with the power of Demon Sight, can reset time to the beginning of the month each time he and his friends fail to fight off the demon horde.

Original?ly planned to release in North America this spring, Xseed Games confirmed this morning the title is aiming for an early summer release. The announcement comes with the debut of a new trailer that focuses on the slice-of-life aspects of this sci-fi RPG adventure.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEkHQbQBWAg

I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much on this one, but I'm really digging everything about Summer of Gods. With so many talented people on board for the project, including veterans of games like Lunar, Grandia, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, and the Ace Attorney series, it's hard not to be excited about things t?o come.

I'll find out whether the game can live up to my lofty expectations when Loop8: Summer of Gods launches on?? June 6, 2023, for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

The post Loop8: Su??mmer of Gods hits North America this summer appeared first on Destructoid.

It's that time of year again

With the New Year ahead of us, and everyone's 2022 GOTY awards locked in, we're looking forward to the incredible lineup of games that will be releasing in 2023. We've set our sights on what the next year has in store, not just for our normal lives, but for the games industry as well, and there's some awesome stuff on the horizon. Whether they're sequels to our favorite franchises, or new properties altogether, it's all there, and it's gonna be tough to choose what we want to play first. I'll admit that it'll be a bit sad to say goodbye to the year that included the unadulterated joy surrounding Trombone Champ or the mind-boggling beauty of Immortality, but all good things must c??ome to an end, I guess.

As we do every year, we've rounded up our writers to ask which games they're most anticipating in 2023. One of the things I love most about Destructoid is that everyone on our site runs of the gambit of different backgrounds and tastes, so for posts like these, we get a huge variety of genres and vibes represented. If you're looking for any recommendations for the coming months, or simply want to see if any of us share in the excitement for your favorite upcoming release, check out this list �we've got pretty much all of the bases covered! �Noelle Warner

Noelle Warner: Hades II

My highlight of all the Game Awards announcements in December was absolutely Supergiant's reveal of Hades II. Hades is still one of my favorite and most-played games of all time, because it was one of those games that feels like it was made for me. The Greek mythology setting, the character art, the colors, the music �it felt like they tapped into my brain and figured out exactly what I wanted. It's also been an influential title for me when it comes to how I approach gameplay because it was the first time I really challenged myself and invested a lot of time and effort to mechanically ??get a lot better at the game. I ended up beating 32 heat before signing off at around 350 hours, but it's a game I still think about years later.

Hence my overwhelming enthusiasm when I saw the Supergiant logo come up on the screen. While the game will maintain the Greek myth setting that we know and love, we're getting a whole new cast of characters, including a new protagonist: Melinoë, who is actually Zagreus' sister. I'm looking forward to seeing what the d??evelopers?? carry over from the first game, and what they add on to enhance the experience. Either way, this is the first time Supergiant has ever made a sequel to one of their games, and if they're willing to start now, I have to believe that it's for a good reason.

Eric Van Allen: Baldur's Gate 3

This is a legitimately difficult question because next year looks stacked. We have a new Zelda, a new Bethesda RPG, a new Final Fantasy, and even more. But all of that has paled in comparison thanks to Baldur's Gate 3.

In some ways, I'm really glad I didn't hold off on the Early Access for Baldur's Gate 3. The pedigree is certainly there, as Larian has proven itself a few times over with the Divinity series. With Baldur's Gate 3, though, the studio is firing on all cylinders. There's a fantastic party of companions, a malleable and strategic battle system, and some solid story beats already present in the first chunks of Act 1. The actual role-playing is engaging, too; as virtual RPGs have been incorporating more and more ideas from their tabletop counterparts, Baldur's Gate 3 is cap??turing all the grandeur of a deep, intense campaign and giving the player a ton of ways to manipulate it. Pushing the plot off a cliff feels fantastic.

Picking up the torch of one of the most well-remembered series in western RPG history can't be easy. But Larian isn't pulling back on the bat with this one, and I'm hoping we see it knocked out of the park when Baldur's Gate 3 lands sometime next August.

CJ Andreissen: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Honestly, I feel kind of bad going with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. As a writer for a gaming website, we get a lot of emails from publishers and developers asking us to include their games on lists like these. And really, the last thing a mega AAA title like this needs is more free publicity from the jackwagons like me. I should be using this space to write about Loop 8 or Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord or Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2, which was originally going to be my pick. But I’d be fooling myself if I wrote about any other title in this spot. Because following Final Fantasy VII Remake, there is nothing I want more in the world than to see where this reimagining of Final Fantasy VII goes.

Brett Medlock: The Wolf Among Us 2

It’s kind of a miracle The Wolf Among Us 2 is even in development. As I’m sure you know, the original Telltale Games doesn’t exist anymore. A brand new team under the same name took over the reins of this fan-favorite IP. That alone is scary, but I’m happy they’re taking a swing at it. The Wolf Among Us 1 was incredible and ended on such a major cliffhanger; ??I’d rather a new team continue the story than get nothing at all.

Thankfully, the first official trailer for the sequel that Telltale shared earlier this year did not disappoint. The art direction retains the exquisite comic book style but offers much more detail in the environments and character models. Not to mention the fact that the performance looked silky smooth in the trailer, an area previous Telltale games lacked in. Adam Harrington is also back as Bigby Wolf. So far, on all accounts, the new Telltale looks to be respecting the original game on all fronts, while also showcasing some exciting new elements. 

I can’t wait to see how Snow and Bigby’s relationship is handled in The Wolf Among Us 2. For no??w, there’s no release window aside from a big olâ€?â€?023â€? Let’s hope it’s sooner rather than later!

Timothy Monbleau: Final Fantasy XVI

Once upon a time, Final Fantasy set the standard for all console RPGs. When a new game in the series came out, anyone making RPGs took notes to copy its success. This trend tapered off after Final Fantasy X, and now the series is in a full-blown identity crisis. Final Fantasy XIII and its sequels were massively divisive. Final Fantasy XIV was so bad at launch that its remnants still haunt it years later. And Final Fantasy XV wasn’t even originally intended as a numbered Final Fantasy!

For me, Final Fantasy XVI is a do-or-die moment for the series. Naoki Yoshida and Creative Business Unit III hold nearly all the goodwill this series has, and they have a lot riding on this title. Optimistically, this is the team to get Final Fantasy back on track. Final Fantasy XIV has successfully intertwined nostalgia for the classic games with fresh new ideas, and this approach could make Final Fantasy XVI a trendsetter we haven’t seen since the PS2. Pessimistically, Square Enix is a mess. Between multiple live service failures and a ridiculous fixation with NFTs, it’s like the company is trying to speedrun ?its own demise so S?ony can buy them out of pity.

I don’t know if Final Fantasy XVI will be my favorite game of next year, but I’m deeply curious to see how it’ll turn out. I’ve had an incredible time playing Final Fantasy XIV, so I want to believe Final Fantasy XVI will be the one to get me excited for single-player Final Fantasy games again. If Creative Business Unit III isn’t just an MMO one-trick pony and upper management can get out of its own way, I think Final Fantasy XVI can pull it off. Otherwise�well, maybe they can get Tomoya Asano to rebrand the next Bravely Default as Final Fantasy XVII.

Zoey Handley: Pikmin 4

At this point, I've been anticipating Pikmin 4 for so long, I don't feel I could rightly choose anything else. It was first announced back during the Wii U days, where we were told it was?? totally almost done. Then we were later told that, yeah, Nintendo was just waiting for the right time. Now we're deep into Switch territory, and finally, we're being told that it's going to drop.

Of course, despite the protracted development period, the only information we have to go on is that there will be a new camera angle. You know what? That's a good start. I'm not a fan of the top-down perspective. I think having it lower to the ground?? can only increase the wonderment of being a tiny being in a big? world. As for what I'm hoping for; I'd like to see co-op make a return. I also want to see the purple Pikmin back with more prominence in your ranks.

Now whether or not it actually makes the 2023 release peri??od is up in the air. ?Nintendo can be kind of hit-and-miss with these things, and, again, all we've seen are a teaser and a screenshot.

Sam Arthurs: The Last Case of Benedict Fox

I cannot wait to play The Last Case of Benedict Fox. Maybe it isn’t the most anticipated game of the year for the gaming wo??rld, but it has  everything that draws me to a game. So much so that it kind of feels like someone asked what my favorite game elements are and then made a one out of th?em.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox is a Lovecraftian Metroidvania that follows the unofficial detective, Benedict Fox, and his demon companion. The two solve murders by visiting the memorie?s of the victims, slipping between deminsions and collecting clues. They will also have to fight off monsters and cult members.

As usual, the art draws me in first. The electric purple, red, and black of the demon and monsters give it a dark, otherworldly feel, but then it’s grounded by the Gothic style of the house and Benedict’s outfit. It looks like dark academia but warped. The Gothic manor looks overly large, but even that seems to add to the appeal for me, a?s the mansion seems foreboding. Then the alternate dimension Benedict explores is surreal and teeming with Lovecraftian monsters.? I dig it so much.

I’m also a fan of Metroidvanias and murder mysteries. While I completely understand why people enjoy open worlds, when there’s a story involved?, I like how a Metroidvania will lead you through it. It’s this nonlinear but purpose-driven “find the clues and fight the bad guys�style that will be more likely to keep me in my seat for hours. And I’m really looking forward to exploring that big house.

Finally, I’m a fan of the Lovecraft-inspired ??weirdness. I have a friend who likes to listen to Lovecraft audiobooks while we draw or color, and it’s honestly one of the most fun hangouts I look forward to. And I’m really looking forward to t?his game too!

Sorrel Kerr-Jung: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Final Fantasy VII Remake is a very special game �in fact, it’s one of my favorite AAA titles of the last several years. I love Final Fantasy VII, I love stories about stories, and I love the works of Tetsuya Nomura, so it was always going to connect with me. I have basically no idea what Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is going to be?, but I’m along for the ride no matter what.

2022’s Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion really sold me on Zack Fair, and I’m especially fond of his relationship with both A?er??ith and Cloud. The first trailer for Rebirth suggests that it’ll dive a little deeper into Zack’s character and those dynamics, so I’m pumped to see what happens there.

I also can’t wait to see a little more of the world of Final Fantasy VII. Midgar is great, but we’ve been returning to Midgar for a while, and I’m ready to revisit spots like Wutai and the Gold Saucer. I’d also be down to finally catch a choc?obo, if Square Eni??x would be so kind.

Mostly, though, I’m just excited to spend more time with the Final Fantasy VII Remake party. I think the first game has some truly incredible character writing, both adapting and elevating the already phenomenal Final Fantasy VII crew, and I can’t wait to just settle in and spend a few dozen more hours with them. I’m particularly fond of what they’ve d??one with Barret, whose brazen eco-terrorist streak has taken center stage, but I also love emo nice guy Clo??ud, certified homie Tifa, and Aerith, who is always great. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll get some more Yuffie and a bit of Vincent this time around. Part of me is already dreading the third game. I don’t want to say goodbye to these folks!

Anthony Marzano: Like a Dragon: Ishin

Like many others, I used Yakuza 0 as my entry point into the long-running titular series. Even though it took me almost two years to beat, it converted me into a fan of the series. Its amazing ability to jump from searing crime drama to a lighthearted slice of life made it a go-to for me when I needed some joy while also getting the grit I craved. So when I, a lifelong fan of jidaigeki saw that we were getting a remake of what is essentially Yakuza: Samurai, I was over the moon. Doubly so since Sony refuses to bring Ghost of Tsushima to ??PC, leaving me in a barren wasteland with no interactive samurai kino.

It's also nice that we got the exciting announcement nary a few months before the planned release. Only have to make it halfway through a long Midwest winter, then it's comfy time as I slice through dishonorable men. While I'm not expecting Kurosawa levels of storytelling here, just the ability to roam around a late Edo period hub-world is enough to make Ishin my most anticipated ?game of the year. Still waiting on word about if we'll have any ty??pe of management mini-game in it though...

Jonathan Holmes: Resident Evil 4 Remake

Horror games are all about building anticipation and then releasing that pent-up energy with a big intense moment. The Resident Evil 4 remake has already done a great job of instilling that feeling of anticipation in players, and it’s not even out yet. The original game is one of the most respected, and successfully re-released games of all time, having been ported to every major console of the past 20 years. People already know it and love it. The highly successful Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes used it as a blueprint, as did the Resident Evil Revelations side games in the franchise, so for fans of the franchise, the game is practically a religious text. And for this writer, a 46-year-old man who aged out of the target demographic for AAA games about 15 years ago, Resident Evil 4? was the last AAA game that I felt was truly made for me.

So will Capcom be able to bring me back into the AAA fold with this loving reimagining of my all-time favorite Survival Horror title? Like Leon cautiously walking forward in a decrepit European Village adorned with bear traps and insect-infected farm hands, I’m both dreading and delighting at the possibilities of what lies around the corner. My cold, calloused hands haven’t felt much from a big blockbuster game in almost two decades (unless you could count well-known but not well-played niche franchises like Bayonetta and No More Heroes) but if things go my way, the Resident Evil 4 remake will blow minds wit?h new content while still sticking t??o script enough to feel like a sweet homecoming.

Chris Moyse: Street Fighter 6

Anyone frequenting Destructoid this past year will react with zero surprise to my entry. I first approached Capcom's mysterious announcement of a new Street Fighter with understandable trepidation, given the juggling of management behind the scenes and with the terrible launch of Street Fighter V still fresh in my mind. But, with each new trailer, announcement, and sneaky leaky, I became more and more intrigued �convinced that perhaps the veteran develope??r had learned from its past mistakes.

And then I got my hands on the title, (and, importantly, on my gurl Juri) and tha??t intrigue turned to raw excitement.

From demos played at trade shows, to two betas in the comfort of my own home, I am incredibly confident in Capcom's handling of Street Fighter 6. From its dazzling visuals and smooth movement, (thank you, RE Engine) to its excellent online functionality, and plethora of promised modes, features, and side activities, Capcom appears to have taken all of the vitriol rightly directed at SFV's launch to heart, and seems determined to prove exactly why Street Fighter is, after all of these years, still the title to defines the genre. Surrounded by so much positivity it seems ??Capcom's game to lose. Stay the Cour??se.

The post Destructoid’s most anticipated games of 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

I'll keep you in the loop on this one

There are many games set to release in 2023 that are guaranteed to be colossal hits. Loop8: Summer of Gods isn't one of them. This relationship-building RPG from Xseed Games and SIEG Games is flying well under the radar for most gamers, but for me, it's right near the top of my most anticipated list thanks to its delectable art style and curious nature. Loop8 is a time-looping RPG that sees protagonist Nini repeating the month of August in the quiet town of Ashihara as he tries to save it from demons while building relationships with a collection of town residents. Also, Nini comes from space, so there's gonna be some sci-fi elements in there as well. This morning, Xseed Games debuted a new Loop8 trailer tha??t shows off some of the game's English gameplay and giv??es players a good look at the emotion-driven AI system at play.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClrwDVHYJag

Well the framerate in those battles scenes doesn't look so good, but I did just come off playing Pokémon Violet, so it's not like that'll stop me fr?om seeing?? the game through to the end.

Besides, Loop8: Summer of Gods has such a talented team behind the scenes, I have to see what kind of game you get when you bring all these ??minds together. If you haven't been following this game, here are?? just some of the names of the staff working on it:

• Yoichi Miyaji, producer (Lunar series, Grandia series)
• Yuri Shibamura, game designer (Touken Ranbu, Gunparade March)
• En Morikura, character designer (Kizuna AI)
• Shingo Adachi (Sword Art Online)
• Ryudai Murayama, mascot character designer (Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin)
• Noriyuki Iwadare, composer (Ace Attorney series)

Loop8: Summer of the Gods is still without an exact western release date, but when it doe??s reach ?our shores in spring 2023, it'll arrive for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

The post Loop8: Summer of Gods looks pretty (oh so pretty) appeared first on Destructoid.

Loop-de-doop

With the announcement of tomorrow's Nintendo Direct, make sure to keep an eye on the Japanese version of the presentation as well. You never know what games will pop up in it months before they're ever announced for a worldwide release. Case in point: Loop 8: Summer of Gods. Originally revealed during the Japanese Direct back in February, Xseed announced today it'll be localizing the title early next year with a new Loop 8 trailer that sh??owcases?? the game's new English voice acting.

Loop 8 will put players in control of Nini, a young man raised on a space station who is sent to the quaint country town of Ashihara for the month of August. Demons are threatening to destroy this little slice of paradise, and it'll be up to Nini and his friends to stop the demons and save Ashihara, and potentially the world. But if he fails–and I imagine for the sake of the narrative that he will–Nini can activate his Demon Sight power to reset time to the first day of August. Hence the title, Loop 8. Coming off Shin-chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation -The Endless Seven-Day Journey-, another game set in a quaint Japanese village with a time-loop concept, I hope Loop 8 does a better job at handling ??the narrative technique.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF33O8d6rj4

All that we could do with this emotion

Xseed Games is promising a town full of mysteries and plenty of monsters to defeat, but I'm more curious about the game's touted "emotion-driven AI system" that will supposedly alter a character's emotions depending on the actions and the decisions the players make. It'??ll be interesting to see just how deep this system goes compared to other games where the narrative takes player choice into account.

Developed by SIEG Games and Marvelous, Loop 8 is bringing together developers from a variety of popular series. This includes producer Yoichi Miyaji of the Lunar and Grandia franchises, game designer Yuri Shibamura of Touken Ranbu, and composer Noriyuki Iwadare of the Ace Attorney franchise, to name a few.

Loop 8: Summer of Gods will release in spring 2023 for Nintendo Switch, Play??Station 4, PC via Steam, and Xbox One.

The post Gorgeous RPG Loop 8: S?ummer o?f Gods comes west next year appeared first on Destructoid.

The cup runneth over for visual novel and otome fans

There may have been w??ay too many peop??le trying to get into this year's Anime Expo in Los Angeles this year, but I can sympathize with them. After all, two straight years of online-only events has a lot of us jonesing to get back out there and be around those who share our interest in Japanese entertainment. Not only is the expo the place to see all the upcoming toys you'll be buying and shows you'll be watching, but it's also a great source of game announcements. Case in point: Aksys Games and its A??nime Expo reveals.

The specialty publisher announced seven games it's localizing in the west in 2023. Most of t??he games will release exclusively for Nintendo Switch, but a few will also ??make appearances on other hardware.

Inescapable

Of the games announced, the one I'm most interested in is Inescapable from Dreamloop Games. This social survival game casts players as a contestant on a reality television show whe??re 11 strangers are dropped on an island with absolutely no rules. Anybody who makes it to the end of the show walks away with $500,000. The game is said to explore the depths of human desire and what pushes people to lust after clout, wealth, and their desires.

In other words, it's Westworld!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZIuIlh0dlc

That one is going on my radar, but the six other games are worth keeping an eye on as well if y??ou've enjoyed  Aksys's past output. Those titles include:

Shuuen no Virche ~ErroR: Salvation

The English title is pending on this one, but ErroR: Salvation covers a country possessed by the god of death where people are cursed to die by the age of 23. A young woman named Ceres, who has a knack for hastening the deaths of those she meets, puts a pause on her plans to commit suicide when she meets a stranger named the "Watchman of Death." ErroR: Salvation will release ??next year exclusively for Nintendo Switch.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWB9vwJc7jg

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II

The sequel to 2018's Death Mark: Death Mark will release next year for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam. The trailer is one of those "age-restricted" YouTube videos, so click here to give it a watch. Coincidentally, Spirit Hunter: Death Mark and its sequel, Spirit Hunter: NG, are both on sale right now in the eShop.

Norn9: Var Commons & Norn9: Last Era

Norn9: Var Commons was originally released back in 2014 for the PlayStation Vita. Aksys Games localized the game for western audiences the next year, and in 2023, it's porting the game to Switch along with its fan disc sequel, Norn9: Last Era, which is being localized for the very first time. Norn9 features the adventures of a young prodigy named Sorata Suzuhara who is thrust back in time to 1919 aboard the ship known as Norn9. The first game covers Sorata's interactions with 11 others as they explore the secrets in Norn. Last Era features a continuation of their adventures in three parts. Both Norn9: Var Commons and Norn9: Last Era will release exclusively for Switch.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL3UuGuyBxA

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=too4eCkDdzM

Radiant Tale

In Radiant Tale, players will take control of Tifalia, an innkeeper who's given the chance of a lifetime when a strange group calling themselves CIRCUS ask her to be their new producer. I going to assume that amusing antics and passionate romance await Tifalia on her journey. Radiant Tale will release nex??t year exclusively f??or Nintendo Switch.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT64DCcCmbc

Pups & Purrs Pet Shop

Last but not least is Pups & Purrs Pet Shop, which is easily the cutest game of the bunch. As you might expect, this game will give player?s control over their own pet shop where they can work and?? play with adorable animals. Look for it next year on Nintendo Switch.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1lA3UPpig

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Let them fight

Whenever Nintendo hosts a new Direct, mini or otherwise, one of the first things I do when it's done is pop over to the company's Japanese YouTube channel to see if there were any game reveals that didn't make the cut for North American and European audiences. While trailers exclusive to the Japanese streams are usually for incredibly niche titles, more often than not these streams will feature a game or two with a far broader appeal that audiences on this side of the ocean wouldn't mind getting their hands on. During the last Nintendo Direct, we reported the Japanese version featured a new kaiju-filled entry in the Monster Rancher series. It was one of the more interesting games announced that day, and thankfully, Bandai Namco confirmed at Anime Expo that it is localizing the title for western audiences as Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher.

This news isn't a huge surprise given the game was already confirmed to release in English in Southeast Asia. But it's just nice we won't have to ?do an expensive import to get it.

The Monster Rancher franchise has seen something of a small resurgence in recent years with Switch and PC ports of its early titles. For a brief moment during my childhood, the original Monster Rancher was one of the hottest games to play thanks to its gimmicky use of music CDs to generate monsters. I remember exchanging discs with classmates as we'd all try to score every available monster in the game. I don't think any of us ever managed to do that, however, as the fad quickly faded within my circle of friends. Suffice to say, I don't have many warm fuzzy feelings about the series, but I do think it would be kind of cool to revisit it with kaiju-s?ized monsters to control.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msyi10WPpY4

Yep. The audacity of everything in that tr?ailer pretty much guarantees I'll have to give a go when it releases stateside.

Despite the low number of kaiju in the trailer, Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher will feature more than 200 different monsters to unlock using a digital CD database or NFC-compatible cards. That latter point has me quite curious about what my Animal Crossing Jingle amiibo card will unlock when I scan it into the game. I guess I'll find out later this year when Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher launches on Nintendo Switch.

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Who says political games can't be adorable?

Fans of narrative point-and-clicks have had a pretty good run of things recently. We had the gem that was NORCO earlier this year, Monkey Island is coming back, and now another beautiful-looking adventure game has been announced and subsequently landed on my Steam wishlist. It's called Phonopolis, a political narrative title developed by Czech indie collective Amanita Design, best known for Machinarium, Botanicula, and Samorost.

In Phonopolis, players will take on the role of Felix, a young man living in a dystopian city that is threatened by the im??minent rule of an authoritarian ruler.?? As Felix seems to be the only one who is aware of the looming danger of the situation, he tasks himself with stopping the leader and saving his fellow citizens.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANJSa4RFqxg

Phonopolis will take on themes of m??anipulation and individualism, and is "strongly influenced by avant-garde artistic trends of the interwar period such as constructivism, futurism, or suprematism, and their societal impact as a tool of propaganda."

It's sad that this game feels incredibly relevant to the current state of the world, but here we are. At?? the very least, Amanita has promised to kee?p "the overall experience playful and lighthearted."

Phonopolis will also be Amanita's first game with a 3D art style, and this style is certainly one of the selling points for me. Every environment, character, and asset is made to look as though it's made of paper, and set pieces look as though they were made in miniature. It's one of the most unique art styles I've ever seen in a game, and I can't see what else they do with it. As far as gameplay goes, Phonopolis will also have exploration and puzzle mechanics on top of its n?arrative fo?cus.

The? game is being developed on multiple platforms, although the developer ha?s not disclosed just what those are yet beyond PC and Mac. We also don't have a release date, but Amanita doesn't expect the game to be ready in the next year. Either way, this looks like a game worth waiting for.

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A gorgeous, Ghibli-style sim

I'm always chasing the high of my first playthrough of Stardew Valley. It's among my favorite games of all time, and something comforting I reach for during tough times, so having other titles to add to that arsenal is always a plus. We could always use more Stardew-likes. That's not a saying yet, but it needs to be. It would make looking for new games a whole lot easier. For now, though, I have seen one new game on the horizon that will satisfy my need for a cozy life sim: Spirittea.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi4GmC4v6sI

The logline for Spirittea is Stardew Valley meets Spirited Away, which alone is enough to make me buy this game.

In this upcoming PC game, you'll play as a character who arrives in a beautiful rural town, where you meet NPCs to befriend and can partake in lots of hobbies like bug catching or karaoke �but then, of course, you accidentally drink from a cup of tea that allows you to see the spirit world! With the help of a friendly cat, you're also tasked with helping to run the local bathhouse, helping soothe its ghostly patrons rather than them haunting others. Good thing I have some time to prepare before Spirittea comes out, because if I had access to this game righ?t now, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't see the sun for a good while there.

Spirittea is coming to us from developer Cheesemaster Games, and is published by No More Robots, who are best known for publishing titles like Hypno Space Outlaw and Descenders. Like ConcernedApe (aka Eric Barone), the beloved developer behind Stardew Valley, Cheesemaster is actually just one guy, Dan Beckerton. Like Barone, Beckerton is extremely passionate?? about his project, and has spent a great deal of time working on it.

I personally can't wait to check out all of the amazing work that he's put in, so I'll be looking forward to Spirittea's release, whenever that will be.

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20 fighters in total

Fighting game fans are going to have a pretty good couple of weeks ahead of them. Not only is King of Fighters XV on its way in February, but we also have a couple of old games getting a makeover for last-gen consoles in the weeks ahead. Probably the biggest of the bunch is Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, but there's another fighter that hasn't received as much press that's on the horizon as well: Phantom Breaker: Omnia.

You might have heard that name before, but chances are you've never had a chance to play it. That's because the game originally released for the Xbox 360 only in Japan before seeing an updated version launch on the PlayStation 3 in the country as well. Outside of Japan, we've only been able to experience the franchise through a spin-off, but come March 15, that's changing. That's when Phantom Breaker: Omnia will launch worldwide with two new ??characters in tow: Artifactor and Ma??estra.

For obvious reasons stated above, I haven't had the opportunity to play Phantom Breaker before, but everything I'm reading about it is piquing my interest. Players will be able to pick from one of three different fighting styles—Quick, Hard, and Omnia—that will alter how each of the 20 included combatants han?dle.

With developer Mages at the helm here, I have faith Phantom Breaker: Omnia will be worth keeping on my rada??r. If you feel the same way too, you can look forward to picking it up starting March 15, 2022 for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

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Chocobo-a-go-go

We've been hearing about a possible revival of Chocobo Racing for so long that it's still kind of hard to believe its successor, Chocobo GP, is actually coming out in a few months. Announced during a Nintendo Direct back in September, Chocobo GP will bring together characters from the Chocobo sub-series of games for a little rac??ing action. And thanks to a new trailer dropped this morning, we're getting more inform??ation about what'll be included in the game.

Perhaps most important to many of our readers is the confirmation of a single-player story mode where players will unlock new racers and courses. The game will also feature local an??d online multiplayer, custom races, a time attack mode, and the Chocobo GP Mode, where you can compete against up?? to 64 players online in a knock-out tournament-style competition.  Do well in this mode and you'll unlock new rewards for your racers.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJau12vCufU

Despite it being the best-selling game on Switch and one of the best-selling games ever, I have yet to rebuy Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. I thoroughly enjoyed the game back on the Wii U and dropped the cash for all the DLC, but for some reason, it's the one port from that system I haven't bothered purchasing yet. And I have no idea why, but I will say it's left me longing for a new kart racer, and Chocobo GP looks?? like it has a good sho??t at filling that gap.

If you're on the fence about it, know that Square Enix will be releasing a lite version of the game that gives players access to the story mode's prologue and multiplayer with just a few of the characters available. Save data from Chocobo GP Lite will carry ??over to the full game should you choose to purchase it.

Chocobo GP will release on March 10, ??2022, exclusively for Nintendo Switch.

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This protagonist's life was probably pretty plain until he saw the dead bodies in the rain

I'd wager Spike Chunsoft was one of the five best publishers of the last decade with all the quality Japanese content it brought over to western audiences. Not only did it give us the wonderful Zero Escape franchise, but it localized smaller titles as well, like Conception and One Way Heroics. Of course, the franchise most of our readers probably associate with the publisher is Danganronpa. In 2017, the creators of that masterpiece left Spike Chunsoft to form Too Kyo Games, and after releasing two titles last year with IzanagiGames, the team is back with their old company for their next project called Enigma Archives: Rain Code. Not much is known about the game right now outside of what you can see in the Rain Code trailer below. Kazutaka Kodaka, who wrote the scenario for the Danganronpa series, is back on writing duties here, along with R??ui Komatsuzaki as the lead designer and Masafumi Takad??a handling the soundtrack.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAgEmdFuOuE

Dead bodies, kid??s in peril, dark humor; yep, everything in that trailer is pointing to a Kazutaka Kodaka game for sure. After the misstep that was World's End Club, I hope the Too Kyo Games team can find a way to rebound and knock?? this one out of t??he park. The trailer has me intrigued; now I just need to make sure the gameplay isn't going to infuriate me. Enigma Archives: Rain Code currently has no releas??e date or announced platforms,? but I suspect all of that will be cleared up once we get into 2022.

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Releasing before the new animated film

Apparently, while I sat on my couch watching three and a half hours of DC news and advertisements, there was a completely separate stream called DC Kids FanDome that focused on movies, cartoons, and games aimed at little ones. I was wondering why there was nothing from DC Super Hero Girls in the mainstream. Anyway, during the stream, a reveal trailer dropped for a new superhero game based on the upcoming film DC League of Super-Pets. The movie features Superman's and Batman's faithful dogs Krypto and Ace, played by Dwayne Johnson and animal-animated-film-mainstay Kevin Hart respectivel?y, as they, I guess, do animal super-heroics around Metropolis.

The movie is set to arrive in summer of next year. But before it hits theaters, young superhero fans will be able to get their hands on its video game tie-in, DC League of Super-Pets: The Adventures of Krypto and Ace. From developer Outright Games, The Adventures of Krypto and Ace feature the two ??hounds teaming up to protect the animal population of Metropolis.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RbCy0pMAGQ

My first thought seeing this was it looked like a mobile game,?? but then I realized the target age demographic for this title has probably played mobile games more than anything else available. So it's probably smart to create something that looks familiar to them. I'm curious to see if Krypto's sections of the game will only be on-rails shooters or if they'll branch into other genres as wel?l.

Either way, DC League of Super-Pets: The Adventures of Krypto and Ace is scheduled to release in spring 2022 for Xbox One,? PS4, Sw??itch, and PC.

Also, did y'all know DC is getting its own version of Pixar's Cars called Batwheels? I'm starting to think that DC is like Robert De Niro's agent: they won't say no t??o anything.

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Still waiting on that gameplay footage

DC FanDome is a celebration of all things DC, where some of the biggest stars in the world stand in front of a green screen as they talk about the things that are most important to comic book fans. Like, the color of The Flash's boots, I guess. It's also the place to see trailers and footage for upcoming movies, television shows, and games, such as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. We got our first glimpse at the upcoming maybe-a-games-as-a-service title at last year's FanDome and t??his year, the developers dropped a new trailer for it with just as much gameplay footage as we saw in the last one.

That is to say, absolutely none. But what is ??here is pointing at a huge adventure to kill the heroes we grew up i??dolizing, something that seems really seems on point for 2021.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9vFB65-U_c

Even with the lack of gameplay footage in the Suicide Squad DC FanDome trailer above, I still have complete faith in the project. After all, Rocksteady is working on it and its library of titles is not something to be ignored. Given this year's lackluster reception of The Suicide Squad, it might be easy to start doomsaying about it??s potential. But I think the gaming audience is a better target for this band of anti-heroes than a pandem?ic-weary movie audience.

As we learned last year, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will feature Harley Quinn, King Shark, Captain Boomerang, and Deadshot on a mission to kill the Justice League. In the story trailer above, we get our first look at some of the heroes we'll be taking down, including The Flash and ??John Stewart's Green Lantern. You'll be able to team up with three other players to make your way through the game, but you can also go through it solo with AI companions. The entire story will be playabl?e in online co-op.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will launch in 202??2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox S??eries X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

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Early in development

It's been a while since we've heard anything of the new Perfect Dark title in the works over at Xbox, but last night, we got a little more insight into the game's development. Namely, which studios are actually working on it. Originally, the new Perfect Dark was revealed to be the work of The Initiative, but now another name has been thrown into the m??ix??: Crystal Dynamics.

//twitter.com/TheInitia??tive/status/1441190673672114181

If you don't remember what The Initiative is, I don't blame you. It was announced back in 2018, during a time when the Xbox brand was buying up developers left and right. One of the leads at the studio is Darrell Gallagher, who used to work over at Crystal Dynamics. So this collaboration makes a lot of sense. That studio is of course world-renowned for its back catalog of hit titles that includes Gex, Legacy of Kain, the Tomb Raider reboot, and some Marvel game.

As for when we might be able to play the new Perfect Dark, The Initiative notes the game is still "early in development." I think that's a trend for a lot of the upcoming Xbox games that have been announced over the past year or so. I mean, I assume we'll be able to play this right around the time games like Fable and Avowed hit Xbox Game Pass.

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Playable villains will be included

Nintendo has a very busy June ahead of itself with E3 and a handful of significant new releases, like Game Builder Garage and Mario Golf: Super Rush. That may be where all the attention is now, but there's another game set to launch next month that you might want to keep an eye out ??for.

As revealed in the last Nintendo Direct, DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power is set to hit Switch on June 4. Ea??rlier today, Nintendo — which is publishing the title — released a new overvi?ew trailer highlighting the different aspects of Batgirl, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman's fight against Toyman.

If you noticed, a few of the villains from the DC Super Hero Girls series will be playable as well, with Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and Star Sapphire filling out the roster. A far-more-extensive Japanese overview trailer released ?just a few days ago goes into more deta?il on that.

I can see some of you rolling ??your eyes that we're even covering this game, but screw it, I think ?it looks neat.

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Several games draw near. Command?

See Nintendo, this is ho???w you celebrate a franchise's 35th anniversary.

Square Enix hosted a live stream earlier this evening to celebrate 35 years of Dragon Quest, and buddy, it did not disappoint. Six games and updates were announced during the stream, including the confirmation of the next entry in the mainline series, Dragon Quest XII. Below, I have wrapped up everything revealed in the st??ream.

The next numbered entry in the series will be Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate. DQXII will make changes to the traditional turn-based combat system. It's unclear what those changes will be, but Yuji Horii did state the Command fea??ture will still be a part of the game and the development team is currently working with a few prototypes. No release date or platforms were named, but it was stated Square Enix is aiming for a simultaneous worldwide release.

Dragon Quest X will update to Ver. 6 this year. Still n?o plans for a worldwide release. Specifically said during the ?stream there are no plans to release the game outside of Japan.

Dragon Quest X Offline was announced and will feature a completely different visual style?? than the MMO. Can play through it solo. Aiming to release in 2022 in Japan. No platforms were mentioned and also not confirmed for worldwide release.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a new spin-off of the series from the team behind Dragon Quest Monsters. It will feature Erik and Mia as children. The main themes of the game are "childhood" and "treasure." It is a 3D RPG, but not a traditional one. No platforms were mentioned, but aiming f??or a simultaneous worldwide release.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a remake of Dragon Quest III from the people behind Octopath Traveler and Various Daylife. Worldwide release on consoles. No release date yet. Remakes of Dragon Quest I and Dragon Quest II were hinted at as well.

Dragon Quest Keshikeshi is a match-thr??ee puzzler for mobile releasing this year. Monsters from the series have been turned into tiny erasers that you line up to erase pictu??res. Will be free-to-play.

Additionally, a new entry in the Dragon Quest Monsters series is in the planning stages, but it wasn't shown off during the live stream. Yuji Horii also showed off some new franchise merch, but it's for Japan onl?y.

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A brief chat with the creators of the highly anticipated sequel

It was one of the biggest surprise announcements of 2020. After more than a decade of fans pleading and Square Enix teasing, we learned last summer a sequel to The World Ends with You was in development. For those like myself, it was a moment to rejoice. Long had we ??waited, and even with rereleases of the original title on new hardware with new content, the further away we moved from the debut of the original title, the less confident I became that we'd ever return to Shibuya and the Reaper's Game.

Turns out, I wasn't the only one doubting it could happen. Last Monday, I sat down over Zoom with the creative team behind NEO: The World Ends with You to discuss the ?game, its characters, its story, and how, after 14 years, we? were finally getting one of gaming's most requested sequels.

"I personally felt that I wasn't sure whether this game was ever going to be finished," Tetsuya Nomura, noted belt aficionado and creative producer for NEO: The World Ends with You,  explained. "There had been discussions that popped ?up about moving forward with this title, but then, somewhere down the line, it got scrap??ped. And it was pretty much a continuation of that from there. We'd bring up an idea and then it would be scrapped."

The starting and stopping of ideas for the title wasn't the only thing standing in this? game's way. There were al?so commitments to other titles that took precedent over a sequel to a niche Nintendo DS game.

"Throughout the years, I was busy with the Kingdom Hearts franchise," Tatsuya Kando, director of the original The World Ends with You, said, "but?? this was a title that was always somewhere in my head;?? something I always thought about."

It should be no wonder that TWEWY managed to keep itself burrowed in the minds of the development team as they work on the Kingdom Hearts series. Both franchises share some common DNA with work on the original The World Ends with You beginning as development on Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories reached the home stretch and Kingdom Hearts II continued along swimmingly. Jupiter, the developer behind Chain of Memories, was brought in to assist with development on the title, further linking the two series. Oh, and then there was Neku and company's appearance in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance on the Nintendo 3DS.

Despite not having the sales and worldwide recognition of Kingdom Hearts, The World Ends with You clearly made an impact with somebody at Square Enix as members of the NEO: TWEWY team were able to revisit the title over the years. In 2012, it was ported to mobile devices as The World Ends with You: Solo Remix. In 2018, the game made the jump to Switch with The World Ends with You: Final Remix. Both rereleases were co-directed by Hiroyuki Itou, who returns on NEO as the game's sole director. Also back from Final Remix is Tomohiko Hirano, who once again serves in the producer role. All four men worked on the original The World Ends with You, and despite their eager desire to ??return to the seri?es, Hirano said they needed more than just the will to do it to make it a reality.

"There were, of course, player's voices and a demand for it," he explained, "but the content of this game is a little different and a little bit out there. We?? needed to secure an environment where we could focus on this game,? so that's why it took a little bit of time for us to deliver it to you."

One of the many great things about The World Ends with You back when it released on the Nintendo DS is how fresh it felt. It was new, hip, and vibrant. Nothing about it seemed dated. It was forward-thinking almost to a fault. With NEO, the team wanted to retain that feeling, to create something that could only be made right here, right now. This sequel isn't filled with long-gestating ideas. Rather, ??it's reflective of where we are in gaming today. Had it come seven years ago, it might have been a music game, as Kando jokingly suggested.

While its ideas are in the now, parts of its story will still be tied for the original. There are many loose narrative threads from The World Ends with You and Final Remix particularly that need to be tied up. If you played the Switch release, you've no doubt experienced the post-game addition known as "A New Day." While I will avoid spoilers here, it does introduce new characters and set up some of the stakes we'll see in the upcoming title. NEO does follow three years after where "A New Day" left off, but those who missed out on Final Remix won't be left in the dark.

"We deliberately did not name this game as The World Ends with You 2," explained Kando. "We went with NEO: The World Ends with You. So you can essentially think of this as a completely different game. We have new protagonists in Rindo, Fret, and Nagi. They're not a??ware of what's going on, and that is essentially going to be the same perspective as new players who'll be starting with this title. So in that sense, it shouldn't be an issue for new players to enjoy the? Reapers' Game. That said, for players who have played the original, they'll have a better understanding and a more in-depth view of the game."

Returning players may recognize more faces than those joining the series with this sequel, but there are still elements that'll be new to them. Most notably, the changes to the Reapers' Game itself. In the original, Neku and a partner fought together against the Noise and the whims of the Reapers to make it out of the game alive. In NEO, players will control a team of four as they fight not only ??the Noise but other teams as well. 

"As you saw in the last trailer, you have the Wicked Twisters, which is the protagonist team," Kando said, "and they're going to be participating with other teams in the Reapers' Game. There are going to be multiple teams that fight against each?? other, and you'll be able to see the interactions with the other teams, their members, and, of course, the Reapers; and all those different interactions with all of these people is going to be the pillar of the game's storyline."

Given the complexity of the original title, there is really no telling where the story will go in NEO. Whatever road it takes, it's undoubtedly going to reach its destination in style. Some of the flamboyant artistry may be lost in the transition from 2D to 3D, but NEO's rendition of Sh??ib??uya is still dramatic and visually dynamic.

That extends to the characters as well, with Nomura back on board to create the heroes and villains of this adventure. Like in the last game, they are exceptionally well-dressed and accessorized. Not only do t?heir designs make them prime candidates for the next 10 years of fan art, but they help convey their individual identity, such as Rindo and his mask.

"When we ??look back at the original game, we had Neku with his headphones," Nomura said, "and that was kind of his iconic element; that was him shutting out the world around him. When designing this new character, I wanted to create a sort of iconic element similar to Neku. I was looking around the younger generation, and even before the pandemic hit, I noticed that masks were kind of a trend among the younger people in Japan. It felt like people were using their masks to hide their faces and that left an impression on me. When we look at Rindo, he isn't as reclusive as Neku. He doesn't shut out the world, but he's also not the type of person who's just ??going to talk with other people. So his mask kind of serves as a sign of his personality as well."

I can confirm that, despite what we've seen thus far in the trailers, Rindo will wear his mask pro??perly at least once in the game. Just don't expect to see him hiding his face all that much.

Thirty minutes was far too little time to ask everything I wanted to ask about the game, but I think I'll be fine waiting to have those unasked questions answered until I finally play the game for myself. NEO: The World Ends with You launches on July 27, 2021, for Switch and PS4. It will release on PC via the Epic Games S??tore at a later date.

The post There’s a reason NEO: The World Ends with You isn’t called The World End with You 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Hands on with the closed beta

If you've never heard of Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai, I wouldn't blame you. The manga series started in the pages of Weekly ShÅnen Jump back in 1989, following the exploits of the titular Dai and his friends as they embarked on a quest for revenge in a world full of humans, demons, and the classic monsters of the Dragon Quest serie??s. The comic ran until 1996 and was also adapted into an anime, as w??ell as a few theatrical films, back in the '90s. ;

After lying dormant for a few decades, Square Enix has revived the property with a new manga series, a new anime adaptation of the original manga, and a trio of games that were announced last spring. A Hero's Bonds is the first of those games to make it outside of Japan. It's a free-to-play RPG developed by DeNA and published by Square Enix. DeNA is a developer you probably most associate with Nintendo's mobile output, but it's worked with Square Enix before on the hit title Final Fantasy: Record Keeper. 

A Hero's Bonds represents the developer's first crack at the Dragon Quest franchise, but rather than doing something bold with it to make the title stand out in a ruthlessly competitive field, DeNA has chosen to play i?t disapp??ointingly safe.

After Dragon Quest Tact, a serviceable tactical spin on the franchise that released out west earlier this year, I was hoping the franchise's next mobile outing would be a little more engaging. To its credit, A Hero's Bonds does feature a style of gameplay I find quite promising. It takes the auto-combat feature found in most free-to-play RPGs and applies it to the auto-runner formula. Each action stage of the game sees your team running down a three-lane corridor, coming face-to-face with Dragon Quest monsters. Your team will attack on their own; all you need ?to do is swipe your hero to the correct lane to actually hit the monsters, activate their? special skills when they're fully charged, and block and dodge enemy attacks.

It's a surprisingly fun mash-up of ideas that quickly feels too bare-bones. While each corridor may featu??re a different location and aesthetic, every level I played in this closed beta was nothing more than a straight line?? that I completed in less than a minute. There were just a few enemy encounters in each stage, culminating in a simple boss battle, before I was knocked back out to the menu to continue the game's narrative.

A Hero's Bonds actually has two connected stories to play through. "Dragon Tracks" covers the events of The Adventure of Dai manga and plays into "?Bonding Journey," which is an original story featuring a player-created character that focuses on building bonds with their partners. While some action levels will limit who you can have in your party, I could use my created character throughout both storylines if I wanted. As this is an RPG with leveling and all, it is important to make sure both Dai and my character got some time on the battlefield.

In these action stages, players only control their lead hero, while support characters act on their own accord. Popp and Maam, both character's from The Adventure of Dai and the first two partners you unlock, are pretty formidable on their own. They helped me get some easy SS ran??kings in the beginner's difficulty, but also held their own when I unlocked additional quests and modes tha?t increase the shallow challenge. Though, that could be because I got some really lucky pulls with the game's gacha system.

Yes, A Hero's Bonds is a gacha game. It also has multiple currencies, an energy system, a crap-ton of lore, crafting, and everything else some AAA mobile developers can't seem to move beyond. I've written before about how the pandemic has altered my outlook on these types of menu-heavy, free-to-play RPGs. That hasn't changed even as we draw closer to the light at the end of the tunnel. It doesn't help that I started playing this at the tail-end of my review session of Fantasian, another mobile RPG that lac??ks everything our readers consistently remind us they hate about mobile gaming.

The best compliments I can pay Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai: A Hero's Bonds is that it's got a unique gameplay hook. It's beautiful, and its soundtrack is appropriately epic. It's not the worst thing you can download to your phone??, but at the end of the day, it's another free-to-play mobile RPG that's still clinging to old ideas of what those types of games should look like.

Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai: A Hero's Bonds is now available for preregistration and will release later this year f??or iOS and Android.

_{[This preview is based on an Early Access build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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A sociable hack 'n' slash

With so many games in production from so many developers, large and small, it's pretty impossible to keep track of every interesting title that's on the horizon. I try my best to remember those trailers that really catch my fancy, but for Dungeons of Hinterberg, I'm going to make an effo?rt to keep it at the forefront of my mind.

From developer Microbird, Dungeons of Hinterberg takes place in the Austrian Alps, where the small town of Hinterberg has become a tourist destination due to its lush scenery and crisp mountain air. And also monsters. It's a great place to holida??y if you want to kill some monsters.

The game, currently in development for PC and consoles, will blend hack 'n' slash action RPG gameplay with social sim elements, giving players the ability to unwind and make some friends after doing some monster slaying and dungeon diving. Unfortunately, there isn't a trailer just yet for it, but Microbird has been updating its Twitter feed with some particularly scru?mptious little morsels that have me plenty exci?ted.

Adventure Tourism in #Hinterberg#IndieGame #GameDev pic.twitter.com/X8doInOzYo

— Microbird (@MicrobirdGames) April 6, 2021

Close call!#Hinterberg #GameDev #IndieGame pic.twitter.com/9RPuGIDc1D

— Microbird (@MicrobirdGames) March 9, 2021

Your home away from home. #Hinterberg #indiegame #gamedev pic.twitter.com/oAkfCPA6Ku

— Microbird (@MicrobirdGames) February 2, 2021

Spend your vacation in #Hinterberg, explore its magical dungeons, and forge friendships with adventurers and locals in a modern day alpine village! Get more info & sign up for the game's newsletter here: //t.co/WSEQcwqCeu#indiegame #gamedev pic.twitter.com/U6iHUwMBtZ

— Microbird (@MicrobirdGames) February 16, 2021

#Hinterberg #IndieGames pic.twitter.com/vJfgcJRBGn

— Microbird (@MicrobirdGames) January 11, 2021

Everything a?bout this game looks right up my alley.

Dungeons of Hinterberg [Microbird OG]

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It's Unreal how excited people are for this game

It's been nearly two years since Bandai Namco first announced Tales of Arise, and it looks like we're getting closer than ever to seeing it hit store shelves. Today, the publisher d?ropped a new trailer for the game that ends with a promise of more information on the title later this? spring.

Tales of Arise was first revealed in 2019 with a vague 2020 release date. Then COVID-19 happened, and the game was pushed out of its release window last summer. In December, we got word development on the title was nearing its end. With more news on it coming in the next few weeks, hopeful??ly fans w?on't have to wait too much longer to get their hands on it.

Tales of Arise is currently scheduled to launch on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Given that we're already into a new generation of consoles, it wouldn't surprise me if Bandai Namco announces soupe?d-up versions of the game for PS5 and Xbox Series X, but of course, that's all speculation at this point. Of course, if it's not coming to either of those systems, why include all the branding disclaimers at the bottom of the trailer's end card?

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The complete mystery

A few years ago, The Silver Case and its sequel, The 25th Ward: The Silver Case, were given the HD remaster treatment on PC and PS4. For Western fans of Suda51, it gave us a look at some of his earlier work, the games he made before he had really established himself outside of Japan with titles like killer7 and No More Heroes. With the Switch as popular as it is, it was only a matte?r of time before both titles jumped over to Nintendo hardware.

Last month, both games hit the Switch in Japan as a compilation called The Silver Case 2425. If you've been wondering when those o?f us out west will be able to get our hands on it, it? turns out the wait won't be too long. NIS America confirmed during today's New Game+ Expo stream that it is localizing the game this summer.

The Silver Case 2425 will re??lease in North America on July 6, 2021 a?nd on July 9, 2021 in Europe.

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And it's on your platform of choice

Do you love battle royales but hate that there isn't enough Final Fantasy in them? Well, good news! Following the reveal of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Square Enix dropped the curtain on another FFVII project: The First Soldier.

Coming to iOS and Android, Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier is a mobile battle royale where players will face off against one another before the events of Final Fantasy VII. As you can see in the trailer above, it has everything you expect in a battle royale (you know, guns) but pairs it with traditional Final Fantasy trappings, like chocobos, spells, and summons. Everyone ??on the battlefield will be a Shinra SOLDIER candidate, and there will be solo play as well as teams.

That's about all the info we have on it so far, but you can expect Square Enix to reveal more as we draw closer to its 2021 release. The First Soldier will be free-to??-play with op?tional in-game purchases, but you probably already guessed that.

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Switch Lite owners won't be left out

I know it's not the most popular game in the series, but there is a special place in my heart for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Sure, Fi is annoying, but it's one outstanding adventure with beautiful visuals and dynamic boss battles. If you skipped it on the Wii, you'll have a chance to experience it on Switch with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD.

The game's motion controls are optimized for Nintendo Switch, with the right Joy-Con controlling the sword and the left Joy-Con controlling the shield. It will also have button-only controls if you want to?? skip all that. The game will release on July 16, 2021. Nintendo will also be releasing special Joy-Con controllers alongside the game.

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Not so hot on the third one

Ninja Gaiden is one of the most celebrated franchises in gaming, and this year, some of its best games are coming back in a massive collection. Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection brings together Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor's Edge, along wi????th most of the DLC and game modes released for the titles.

Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection will launch on June 10 fo??r Swit??ch, Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

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I can go for more Jedi action

It was one of the shorter trailers in the Direct, but Star Wars: Hunters is a new free-to-play thir??d-person shooter coming to Switch this year. The game will take? place between Episode 6 and Episode 7.

It's nice to have Star Wars back on Nintendo even if it's not a new Rogue Squadron.

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You go girls

DC Super Hero Girls was one of the most popular toy brands back when I worked in retail and now it's looking to be one of the most popular super hero games on Switch. DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power will see Batgi?rl, Wonder Woman, Bumblebee, Supergirl, Zatann?a, and more saving the day while keeping up with their classes.

I can understand if a lot of people want to write this game off because it may look low budget, but I know a lot of older, low-budget games that have dedicated followings, like Barbie Horse Adventures. 

DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power will releas??e for Switch on June ??4. Surprisingly, or maybe not, Nintendo is actually publishing the game itself.

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